A Nile hippopotamus was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018. This was the first hippo born at the park in 13 years, marking another success for the dedicated and highly trained team of Walt Disney World animal care experts.
David Roark, Disney

This male Dama gazelle calf, born on January 14, 2018, is the first of two calves born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in January. Dama gazelles are critically endangered and the rarest of all gazelles.
Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Take a look at these two Dama gazelles calves, born January 14 and 17, 2018, at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Dama gazelles are critically endangered and are the rarest of all gazelles.
Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Meet Gordon, one of four Southern white rhino calves born at The Wilds between October and December 2017. He is the 20th rhino to be born at The Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio since 2004.
Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Tebogo, a Botswanan name meaning “we are thankful,” was born November 19, 2017. He is the third of four rhino calves born at The Wilds between October and December 2017.
Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

On a recent morning visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, a small group of guests gathered on the viewing platform overlooking the Maharajah Jungle Trek habitat. They quietly yet anxiously waited to try and catch a glimpse of the first Sumatran tiger cubs born at the park. The growing group didn’t have to wait long – Anala (girl) and Jeda (boy) bounded out of their den and put on quite a show for their adoring fans while first-time mom Sohni watched on. The cubs stalked and pounced on one another, balanced on the roof of an outdoor den, and rolled around in the grass playing with mom, all to the oohs and ahs of the guests who snapped photos.

Spotting and capturing photos of Anala and Jeda, as well as Sohni and their dad Malosi (who’s in a separate, neighboring habitat) is as close to Sumatran tigers as many people will get. According to Dr. Scott P. Terrell, Director of Animal and Science Operations for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide, less than 500 Sumatran tigers exist in the wild.

While guests to Animal Kingdom enjoy the cute cubs’ antics, few may realize that their birth was three years in the making, overseen by a highly-trained team of animal care experts and veterinarians, not only at Animal Kingdom, but the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as well. The cubs are part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is overseen by the AZA to “ensure responsible breeding and diverse populations of threatened and endangered species.”

Since its opening on April 22, 1998, Animal Kingdom has contributed to roughly 218 SSPs in partnership with the AZA. For the tiger cubs, a team of roughly 60 Cast Members within Disney’s Animal Programs, including veterinarians and vet techs, endocrinologists, behavioral specialists and animal keepers were involved in the three-year process. To ready Anala and Jeda for their public debut, a backstage play area was created wherein they could learn to swim and climb before venturing out into Maharajah Jungle Trek. And the cubs are but two of the approximately 2,000 animals representing 365 different species in Animal Kingdom’s care.

In addition to the Species Survival Plan, the Sumatran tiger cubs are a part of the Disney Conservation Fund’s “Reverse the Decline, Increase the Time” initiative which aims to reverse the decline of reverse the decline of 10 threatened animals. Aside from the tigers, the initiative is working with leading nonprofit organizations to reverse the decline of African elephants; butterflies; coral reefs; tamarin monkeys; great apes; sea turtles, sharks and rays; Siberian cranes and Sumatran rhinos. The second prong of the initiative is to inspire a lifelong love for nature in young people and “increase the time” kids spend outdoors and in nature.

Browse through the gallery above for a look at Anala and Jeda having a ball in their new home as well as other baby animals born in zoos and wildlife refuges around the USA since October 2017.

Those eyes! This female cougar cub is one of three born in August or September that was brought to the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium after losing their mothers to human-wildlife conflict in Washington state.
Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

A male snow leopard cub was born at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle on July 6 to mom Helen and dad Dhirin. His name is Aibek, which is Kyrgyzstani for "will live for many moons.”
Dennis Dow, Woodland Park Zoo

A female giraffe named Lulu was born on June 20 at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle to first-time mom Tufani and dad Dave. She and the herd can be seen in the zoo’s African Savanna.
Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo

Forty-nine Western pond turtles have hatched from May to Oct. 2017 at Woodland Park Zoo. The endangered turtles will be released in the summer to a protected site as part of a collaborative recovery project among Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Zoo and other partners.
Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo